Flat screen televisions have become a modern living room staple. They provide our families with endless hours of enjoyment, but let’s back up and talk about proper TV placement.
While you may not be able to hide your (enormous!) flat screen television, there are steps you can take to ensure that it blends seamlessly with the decor in your family room. How and where you place it can make all the difference in ensuring the space feels stylish and balanced. Likewise, the wrong placement can make even the chicest living room feel “off”.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional designer to hang your television like one. Check out these simple tips from the Star Furniture experts to make sure you maintain the perfect aesthetic in your home by properly placing your TV.
Understanding Your Living Space
If you think that displaying a TV in your living room is as simple as finding an open spot to stick it, think again. Before you bring a flat screen TV into your home, it’s worth taking the time to assess the layout of the room where you plan to put it.
Questions to Ask Before Wall Mounting a TV
Before you set out to mount your flat screen television on the wall, be sure to ask yourself these questions:
- How big is the room?
- What shape is the room?
- Are there any architectural features that could impact where the TV should go?
- Do you plan to make the TV the focal point of the space or will some other element be highlighted?
Creating a thoughtful plan for how you’d like the entire room to flow and be used will make the ideal TV placement clear. Asking yourself these important questions can help you narrow down the best possible location for your flat screen television.
Choosing the Right TV Stand or Entertainment Center
When it comes to making sure that your flat screen television seamlessly meshes with the other home decor in your living room, a TV stand or entertainment center can help. TV stands and entertainment centers help to bring together the look in your living room and allow for extra storage. They also offer additional space to display your favorite decorative pieces.
As with any furnishing that you bring into a living space, the TV stand or entertainment center that you choose should complement your home decor style. It wouldn’t make sense to bring a rustic entertainment center into a traditional living room, after all. With this in mind, it’s helpful to define your specific style before stopping by the furniture store.
If you’re not sure which TV stand or entertainment center would work best in your home, check out these from Star Furniture:
- This Entertainment Wall puts a contemporary twist on the classic entertainment center. We love its clean lines and soft gray tone.
- Handsome, eye-catching, and dramatic, this Entertainment Center takes modern farmhouse style to a new level with sleek black, bronze and copper hardware and wire-brushed texture.
- Looking for a piece that’s unique and feminine? You’re sure to love this glamorous Media Console that features shell inlay cabinets and brass legs.
Finding the Optimal Height for Your TV
Just as the height of your wall art can impact the aesthetic of a room, the same is true for your flat screen TV. Along with simply not looking right, a television that is hung too low or too high on a wall can make watching it difficult or uncomfortable.
Because of this, it’s important to take the time to position your TV at the optimal viewing height, so it looks good and is comfortable to look at. Ask any design expert and they’ll tell you that your television should be hung at eye level. Of course, this could mean different things to different people depending on their personal height, the size of the room, and their furniture arrangement.
It’s worth noting that most televisions mounted in living rooms are hung around 40 inches high. This means that the center of the screen will be 40 inches from the ground.
In bedrooms, a mounted TV should be around 50 inches high to be seen comfortably from the bed, depending on its height. If you’re hanging your TV over a piece of furniture, be sure to leave three to four inches of space from the bottom of the television to the top of the furnishing.
Incorporating Surrounding Decor
It goes without saying that any furnishing that you bring into your home should complement the other pieces within the space. Your television is no different. With this in mind, it’s important to hang your flat screen TV in a way that will allow it to blend in with the aesthetic of the room.
The first step to ensure that your TV is thoughtfully incorporated into a space is to coordinate its placement with the room’s furniture. An open wall that’s adjacent to your sofa or bed and is spacious enough to accommodate the television is an obvious choice.
Additionally, it’s also a good idea to conceal or integrate cables and electronic components, such as your cable box. Furnishings, such as console tables or entertainment centers, can keep unsightly wires and technological accessories neatly tucked away.
Consider Room Lighting
At the end of the day, your television is meant to be watched. This means that it should be located in a place that’s comfortable and with minimal distractions. Perhaps the biggest factor that could impact how clearly you can see your favorite shows is light. No one wants to squint through the glare from sunlight spilling through a window or the reflection on a poorly placed table lamp.
With this in mind, be sure to consider the location of the light sources within the room compared to where you plan to place your TV. Light fixtures should never be placed directly across from your television, as this could lead to unwanted reflections appearing at night.
While you may not be able to move the windows in the room, you can choose window treatments that enhance your TV-watching experience. Look for curtains or shades that can easily be adjusted to block out natural light as needed.
Investing in Quality Audio-Visual Setup
Whether you’re tuning into the news before work, your favorite show on a weeknight, or a movie with your family, watching television should be an experience. It should be a time of relaxation and pleasure.
Having a good view that’s free from obstructions and distractions, including light, is an important part of creating a positive TV-watching experience but it’s not the only one. Being able to clearly hear the dialogue, music, and background noises of your program is also necessary.
With this in mind, it’s worth investing in a quality audio system. To feel like you’re watching your show or movie at the theater, a surround sound system is the way to go. Just be sure that whatever type of audio system you choose, that the speakers are in a place where they can easily be heard while still being out of sight.
Staying On Trend with Technology
Today’s televisions certainly aren’t the ones we grew up with. Along with offering countless ways to watch, stream, and purchase shows and movies, most televisions come with built-in smart features that make viewing more convenient than ever.
To get the most out of your TV-watching experience at home, be sure to choose a television that includes the smart features that appeal to you. Some of these include voice control capabilities, easy connectivity, and effortless searching.
Make the Most of Your Flat Screen TV with Star Furniture
Your flat screen television should enhance the style and comfort of your living room or bedroom. Knowing where and how to properly place your TV can ensure that watching your favorite shows and movies is as enjoyable as possible.
When it’s time to redecorate your living room, the trusted design team at Star Furniture is here to help. Visit us online to check out our large selection of living room furniture, including TV stands. We can’t wait to help you put together the living room of your dreams!